The Veil

Marjane Satrapi's book, Persepolis, is a deeply moving piece about her experience as a child growing up during a time of revolution. At one point Satrapi's father states that "politics and sentiment don't mix". I cannot believe that this statement is true. People will always have emotions and sometimes they feel so passionately about those ideas and opinions that they shape their lives, even their politics. I believe that politics is just emotion and how you act based on that opinion. In our representative democratic government everyone is entitled to their opinion and even get to voice those opinions without fear of government repercussion. To this day there are still debates over subjects that are polarized by opinions and emotions. Subjects such as abortion, immigration, and the death penalty. These are subjects that may never see resolution because of the swell of sentiment that follow the topics. I believe that politics can never exist without sentiment because it gives some people hope and some people a cause worth fighting for. Politics can simply not exist without sentiment, that will be the failure of government, that will be anarchy. I think Satrapi believes that politics and sentiment do not mix because of the trouble that it could cause her and her family. Satrapi certainly grew up in a family that expresses itself but not everyone goes to the extremes that her uncle and grandfather did. Her mother is very outspoken and passionate within the walls of a safe haven but once she is endangered by having her photograph published she disguises herself in an attempt to not be caught and imprisoned. I think that Satrapi's mother recognized when she had gone too far. I think Satrapi follows her mother's example but I suspect that since she lives in France now that she has become more passionate about her beliefs in politics. I think that Satrapi's grandmother has strong opinions about politics and she would even being willing to face the government prisons for them but her age prevents her from doing so. She shows no fear in the face of the new revolution and stands up for herself instead of hiding. She knows that sentiment cannot be removed from politics because that would take away the people's role in that government. In order for a government to function properly it needs the opinions and emotion from its people. In order for the people to have a fulfilling life the government must listen to its people. To remove our sentiment from our government would remove what makes us human and our government would be ineffective not to mention most likely oppressive. We can never fully separate how we feel from how we vote, and that is the way that the founding fathers of this country wanted it to be. They wanted each one of our different beliefs to matter and to count and for us to speak freely about the way we feel. to not do this is a disservice to not only those that died for it but for those who long for it.